Improvement in mowers



2 Sheets-Sheet Z.

H. PALMCRANTZ.

MoWERs.

Patented Oct. 3, 1816.

Anot limited to the mowing mechanism itself,

-a plan of the machine.

tion, of the cutting apparatus. Fig. 5 is a plan, Fig. 6 a cross-section, and Fig. 7 afront showing modiedforms thereof. Fig. 10 is ing-wheel l, which, by means of a pawl, 33,

`ing an undulating periphery, as shown in Fig.

fforward.` On the4 cam-wheel 2 a 4y-shaped 1" NrrED STATES 'ATENT *EEICE.

vIMPROVEMEivTiN lvlowiius.A

i `Speciicationform.ing part of `Letters Patent No. 182,7 70, dated October 3, 1876; application viled July 11,1876. y

To `all whom it may concern: i

Beit known .that I, HELGE PALMoRANrz, of Stockholm, the capital of the Kingdomof Sweden, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mowing `and ReapingV Machines, of which the following` is a specificai tion: f i i The object of this invention is to produce mowers and reapers superior to those hitherto known by improving` thev construction of the same. f i

The peculiarities of the new invention are but are also toibe found in the cutting apparatus. In bothuthese respects the new features may be adapted with equal `advantage inthe construction of mowers as in that of reapers, and also in aA combination of both. In the following specification the construction, however, hasf only been set forth with more particular regard to the mower. [n.` the accompanying drawing, Figure l is Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with the left wheel removed. Fig. 3 is a detail plan, and Fig. 4 across-secview, of the cutter-bar, with cleansing-prongs. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail top views of knives,

a detail plan view of a doubly-perforated washer used on the knife. Fig. 1l is a side view, partly in section, of the coupling-rod, showing the manner in which it is joined to the crank-arm. Fig. l2is a detail side view of the moving mechanism.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gures.

The generalarrangements with regard to the driving-wheels, the pole, and the balancingof the machine areof substantially. the ordinary construction. Between theleft drivand a ratchet-wheel, 3, can be coupled to the mai-n axle 29, and the frame, 4, in which the mainraxle moves freely, a cam-wheel, 2, hav- 12, has been firmly secured to the said axle 29, and, consequently, takesy part in the rotation of the same when the machine is going driving-arm, 5, moves duringthe rotation. The object of this arm is to transform the rotation of the cam-wheel 2 into a rapid oscillatin g motion of said arm 5. lThe driving-arm 5is, by a pin, 7, pivoted to the side of a pillow-block, 27, that rests on the frame 4. This pillow-block is by bolt fastened to the frame 4, but, when required, it can beset closer up to the main axle and the cam-wheel by means of an adjusting-screw, 30. The-said pillowblock is provided with two bearings, situated one over the other. Inthe lowest of these the shaft 7 of the driving-arm rests, and in the upper one rests aguide-pin, 35, which is connected with the said shaft 7 bya joiningplate, 34. By means of a handle, 8, which is in connection with the yguide-pin 35, the latter, and consequently also the driving-arm 5, with its parts, can be pushed aside to become disengaged from the cam-wheel.. Thus .the driver of the machine is enabled, in an easy and handy manner, to `throw the cutting mechanism out of gear, and, consequently,

render it inactive while themachine is going forward. When the machiner is working' the driving-arm is in contact with the edge of the cam-wheel by means of two friction-rollers, 6' and 6b, which are secured to the ends` of the arm 5 equidistant from its pivot 7. The axles of the rollers 6"4 and 6b rest in sockets that `are tted in holes made for this purpose in the 1ersA is on `the apex of an. undulation ,the other l is in the hollow, and vice versa, so that when one end of the arm 5 is pushed away 'from the axis of the wheel 2 the other end will move toward said axis. Consequently the lower end ofthe driving-arm obtains the oscillating backward and forward motion intended. `This motion is thence communicated to an intermediate mechanism offthe following description: To a downward extension of the driving-arm 5 is pivoted acoupling-rod, 36, which is joined to a screweye, 37, screwed intoV the hollow ofV a link, 9, that is pivoted by a bolt, d, to the crank 10. Said crank is hung in the end of the coupling-frame or floating-bar 12.

The distance betweenv By thus joining the coupling-rod 36 with the crank 10 by a screw-joint it is possible to accurately adjust the position which the crankarm is to occupy at its utmost limits of motion, so that the knives may be properly placed in the cutting apparatus. From the crank 10 a connecting-rod, 11, extends to and connects with the cutter-bar 16. The crank 10 is con nected with the connecting-rod 11 by the same bolt d that joins it to the link 9, and in such manner that at its two extremes of motion the crank will form equal angles to the .line drawn from the axis of the crank-pin to and through the rod 11. The consequence of this is that every full stroke of the coupling-rod 36 and of the crank 10 produces a backward and a forward motion of the cutter-bar,which is connected to the rod 11. The crank 10 has its fulcrum on an adjustable, conical pin, e, which is placed on the left end of the lioatingbar or coupling-frame 12. As the pin e or crank 10 wearsthe pin is elevated, and a close it thereby again obtained. The iioatin g-bar 12 forms alsoa support for the cutting apparatus,

and is suspended near the crank 10 by means of a bolt in a fork, 31, of the frame, whereby the turning of the bar 12 in a nearly vertical plane is rendered possible. The bar 12 is held properly in line by a brace, 28, which extends from the right side of the frame 4 diagonally `toward the left end of the bar 12. The brace 28 is pivoted to the frame 4 in line with the pivot in the fork 3l, so that it does not prevent the raising` and lowering of the bar 12. rIhe bar 12 is raised or lowered in the usual manner by means of a lever, 24, attached to the pole 23 or frame, and provided with a` chain that runs over a quadrant and connects with the bar 12.

The cutting apparatus is at the ieft end, supported in a shoe, 15, which, by means `of a joint, 14, is connected to the right end of the bar 12, and which in front is provided with a leading-wheel, 22. In this shoe the 'finger-bar 20 is fixed by means of rivets or screws, and on the said nger-bar the lingers or guards 19 are each of them separately riveted. The fingers are notched, as usual, so that the cutter-bar 16 can'move to and fro. The backward and forward motion of the cutter-bar-is produced by the connecting-rod l1, to which it isjoined by the block 13. On the Vcutter-bar are riveted, at equal distances apart,

as many cleansing-prongs 17 as there are lingers.y The width of the cleansing-prongs is adjusted according to .the motion of the cutter-bar, in such a manner that at the extremes of motion of the cutter-bar the edges of the cleansing-prongs will be inl linev with those of the'ngers. The cutter-bar, between each -pair of cleansing-pron gs, carries a pin, 38, which fits in a corresponding hole of the knife 18. For the fastening of the knives 18 in the cutting apparatus, each of them is provided with two holes, the Vone which fits the pin 38 last mentioned being closer to the point of the knife, and the other one nearer thel back end of the knife, toward which said second hole is open, as in Figs. 8 and 9. Apin,f, projects from the linger-bar through the said open hole of the knife. Owing to the oscillating movement of the knife the latter, xed on one pin, must necessarily slide on the other. The sliding of the knife may, consequently, take place either on the pin 38, on the cutter-bar, or on the attachment-screw or pin f on the fingerbar. In the former case the hole of the knife, which corresponds to the pin 38, is of an oblong form, as in Fig. 8, but in this hole the pin 38 does not slide directly. The sliding takes place around a collar or washer, 39, which is placed into the slot of the knife. This collar 39 is provided with two holes, and may, consequently, when worn at one'end, be turned about, and thus used twice; but when the knife is to slide on the'pinfof thefingerbar the hole corresponding to the pin 38 is round, as in Fig. 9, and theother one oblong, by which the sliding of the' knife on the attachment-screw f is rendered possible.. By means of the screws or pins f that go through theholes at the back ends of the knives, these are fastened on the finger-bar. Each of the screws f accordingly forms a fulcrum for its respective knife.

When the sliding of the knife takes place at the pin 38 on the cutter-bar, the knife turns around a collar placed loosely on the attachment-screwf. On the other hand, when the knife 'slides at the attachment-screw the nu-` cleus of the latter has a different diameter at. the part closest to the screw-head to what 1t has at the remaining part, so that the former diameter corresponds to that of the hole, but

the latter is less. n

In order to prevent the screw-heads and the finger-bar from being worn, round washers, punched, of steel-plate, and hardened, have in either case been placed between the screwheads and the knives on the'one side, and between the knives and the finger-bar on the other side..

The knives being fastened in the manner now described, any of them may easily be re-v4 moved separately, when required. For this purpose the attachment-screw f needs only to be screwed out a little, and the knife raised above the pin 38 on the cutter-bar, and if the ,attachment-screw f is provided with a collar,

the latter' pressed down, after which the knife can be drawn out with the greatest ease.-

In order to-make the foregoing description more plain, the following sum mary of the mode?- of operation is added: When the machine vis going forward, the driving-wheels, -by means. of the pawls and ratchet-wheels, put the main axle, and, consequently, also the cam-wheel 2 secured on the same, into rotation. 'Ihey driving-armo, which, by means ofthe friction-rollers, is in contact with the cam-wheel, is compelled, by the undulated periphery of the cam-wheel, to oscillate, whereby` the lower part of the driving-arm is moved forward and backward. -Thefsaid motion is transmitted by the coupling-rod to the crank 10, which is thereby vibrated. In this backward and forward motion the end of the connecting-rod that isjoined to the crank-arm also takes part. The other end of the connecting-rod, connected with the cutter-bar, moves in a straight line to and fro, owing to the guiding-grooves in which moves said cutter-bar.

Finally, the cutter-bar in this motion to and fro, not only puts all the knives simultaneously in an oscillating motion. the screws fixed in the iinger-ba-r constituting fulcrums, but also keeps the cleansing-prongs going to and fro, and thus the iingers are constantly kept clean.

When any obstructions occur in the Working the 'cutting apparatus can be raised by pressing down in the usual manner the lever at the right hand of the'driver. For transport, the cutting apparatus can be turned up, and also folded over to the left, and laid on the pole.

Although in the foregoing description a mower has only been described, it is clear that the same features of invention are applicable also to reapers and to combined mowers and reapers.

It will be observed that' the knives, by being fastened in the peculiar manner described, are not fixed at any one point, and slide as well as vibrate when moved. This gives a peculiar draw to the cut, especially toward the termination of each stroke, and materially increases the power of the machine.

I claim as my invention- 1. The pillow-block 27, provided with two bearings, and combined with the shaft 7, V- shaped driving-arm 5, and with the guide-pin 35 and handle 8, all arranged to operate substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The cutting apparatus, composed of the slotted fingers 19, reciprocating cleansingprongs 17, and vibrating knives 18, all arranged for operation, substantially as speci- 3. The knife 18, made with a hole and with a slot to beV connected to the reciprocating pin 38, and to the stationary pin f, and combined with the doubly-perforated collar 39, substantially as herein shown and described.

HELGE PALMGRANTZ.

Witnesses:

'NERE A. ELFWING,

GRUTHHURER v. WALDHEIM. 

